Our Team

Newland Chase Legal is led by Salman Cheema, an accomplished immigration attorney and advisor with deep experience leading complex corporate immigration programs for multinational organizations. His career spans private practice, in-house leadership, and global immigration advisory, giving him a distinctive perspective on the legal, operational, and business considerations that shape immigration strategy.

Prior to joining CIBT, Salman spent nearly five years at Amazon, where he led a global team of immigration specialists supporting operations across more than 60 markets. He also previously built and led his own U.S. immigration law firm, combining firsthand legal practice experience with an understanding of the complex immigration needs of multinational organizations.

In addition to his leadership role with Newland Chase Legal, Salman serves as Vice President of Newland Chase Consulting, where he advises organizations on complex immigration programs and broader strategic considerations.

Ray Rackham is Co-Chair of Newland Chase, and serves as Senior Vice President, Client Solutions at CIBT Inc. As Co-Chair of Newland Chase, Ray focuses on the broad commercial aspects of the company; having responsibility for our world-class Newland Chase Advisory practice, our Client Relationship Management and Key Strategic Partnership groups, the development of Immigration Client Solutions; as well as a number of group functions, including marketing. Ray’s role is to ensure that the services we offer meet the needs of our clients, today, tomorrow, and beyond. Ray also leads on our thought leadership, public policy, and advocacy efforts.

Ray was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of England and Wales 18 years ago, and his career in international relations spans over 25 years, including experience in the private, public, legal and financial sectors. A graduate of the London School of Economics and the Inns of Court School of Law, Ray started his career holding various Government secretariat roles, including roles at the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Justice, and the Home Office. Immediately prior to joining Newland Chase, Ray was the Global Head of Borders and Immigration for one of the world’s largest financial services institutions, with offices worldwide.

Ray is an internationally recognized expert in the geopolitical influences and socio-economic impacts of immigration policy; regularly speaks at conferences, industry bodies, roundtables and events; and has successfully spearheaded the development of industry leading immigration compliance program portfolios with some of the largest, multi-national organizations. He is a noted expert in driving successful programmatic change and transformation in all aspects of mobility, immigration and business travel. In 2022, Ray won Global Mobility Professional of the Year at the FEM EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa region) EMMAs, and has sat on the Global Business Travel Association’s Legislative Advisory Council since 2023.

Daniela Lima is Co-Chair of Immigration at Newland Chase/CIBT. She has over 20 years of experience in Brazilian immigration law, outbound immigration, relocation matters, and advising multinational companies on executive transfers to Brazil and Latin America.

Ms. Lima is fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. She holds a Law degree and an MBA in Strategic Management and Business Economics. She has been recognized by Lexology Index as a leading Brazilian immigration lawyer and featured among Thought Leaders Immigration 2027 and Thought Leaders Global Elite 2027.

Daniela is an active member and regular speaker at AILA/GMS (American Immigration Lawyers Association), IBA (International Bar Association), and WERC (Worldwide ERC, Employment Relocation Council). She is also the founder and a member of the council of ABEMMI (Brazilian Association for Immigration and Global Mobility Specialists), which plays an important role in fostering dialogue with government authorities and strengthening the professional community.

Additionally, she is the co-founder of paradiGM, an initiative dedicated to building an inclusive global community that supports future generations of professionals in the industry.

As Managing Director, UK and Ireland, Nadia Idries leads the regional strategic advisory and immigration services teams in delivering tailored, operationally effective solutions to organizations navigating complex immigration and mobility environments.

In this role, Nadia combines deep legal expertise, strategic insight, and leadership to support clients across sectors as they respond to evolving policy and workforce challenges. Nadia is a registered Solicitor of England and Wales and a multilingual, award-winning immigration specialist with over 19 years of experience advising global companies on corporate immigration policy, compliance, governance, and strategic transformation. Her career encompasses leadership roles in professional services and legal advisory, including as Director and Solicitor at KPMG. Nadia also gained significant experience in immigration strategy and policy through roles at PwC, where she supported multinational clients on UK immigration issues and workforce mobility challenges, whilst also managing the delivery immigration services at operational, transactional and strategic advisory level to the UK firm as in-house immigration counsel.

Throughout her career, Nadia has built a reputation for translating complex policy change into pragmatic, future ready operational practices. She is also involved in advocacy and policy engagement efforts, contributing to cross sector dialogues and initiatives that shape inclusive, sustainable immigration governance frameworks.

Audrey Lelong is Service Delivery Manager at Newland Chase Switzerland, where she supports the Swiss team’s operations and leads key aspects of service delivery. She oversees day-to-day consultant activity, manages complex immigration cases, and provides strategic guidance to clients. Audrey is also responsible for internal and client training, team development, and strengthening client relationships as part of broader business growth efforts.

Since joining Newland Chase in 2019 as an Immigration Consultant, Audrey has held several progressive roles, including Senior Immigration Consultant and Team Leader. She was promoted to Service Delivery Manager in 2024. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, a Master’s in Swiss Law, and a Transnational Certificate in International Law.

Outside of work, Audrey enjoys playing tennis and staying active through sport.

Kate Vircoe is the Managing Director of Newland Chase’s Australian immigration practice. With more than 15 years of experience in corporate immigration, and a qualified immigration lawyer, she has extensive expertise in Australian and New Zealand immigration law, leading high-performing teams, and delivering innovative solutions for multinational clients.

Before joining Newland Chase, Kate managed immigration operations across Australia and New Zealand at a Big Four firm, where she played a key role in driving organizational growth, fostering strategic partnerships, and ensuring exceptional client outcomes. Her strategic mindset and deep industry knowledge have enabled her to develop scalable operations and implement forward-thinking immigration solutions.

Based in Sydney, Kate oversees Newland Chase’s immigration teams in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. She is focused on enhancing service excellence, expanding the firm’s commercial presence, and strengthening Newland Chase’s brand in Australia and globally.

Bahman Motamedi is Managing Director, Canada at Newland Chase, where he oversees the firm’s Canadian operations and serves as Lead Counsel. Joining Emigra in 2015 and continuing through CIBT’s acquisition of Emigra in 2019, Bahman has maintained his role as Managing Director, steering the Canadian operations with expertise and strategic vision.

With over 20 years of experience as immigration counsel, Bahman brings a wealth of knowledge in both litigation and business immigration to the firm. As a Canadian licensed immigration lawyer, his extensive background solidifies Newland Chase’s commitment to providing expert, client-focused immigration solutions in Canada.

Shree Wood is an accomplished Global Mobility Expert, operations leader and UK-Qualified Solicitor with over 10 years of leadership experience driving cross-border strategy, regulatory compliance, and helping multinational organisations navigate the evolving Future of Work and travel.

Currently serving as Country Manager (Singapore) for CIBT Visas, she acts as a trusted advisor to C-suite executives, transforming complex international travel and immigration frameworks into strategic business advantages. With prior roles at Deloitte and Fragomen, Shree has orchestrated large-scale operational transformations. She has successfully aligned complex immigration, legal, and operational frameworks with business growth goals, and navigated multinational accounts through intricate regulatory shifts while maintaining 100% policy compliance.

Shree holds a LLB and LLM in Law from the University of Leicester, alongside executive education credentials from the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School and an Advanced Certificate in Governance, Risk & Compliance from ICA.

Carolina Valdovinos Bedwell joined Newland Chase in November 2021 and was promoted to Senior Immigration Consultant in October 2023. She holds a Dual Degree in Law and Political Science and a Master’s Degree in Fundamental Rights from Carlos III University, as well as a Master of Legal Practice from UNED. She is a lawyer registered at the Madrid Bar Association.

Carolina has more than 7 years’ professional experience working on Spanish immigration and asylum matters, both self-employed and within different international and national organizations. She has always worked within international teams comprised of people speaking different languages and working from different time zones. She has a proven ability to research, identify, analyze and interpret information from a range of sources and develop appropriate solutions. She speaks Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.

As Senior Immigration Consultant at Newland Chase, she is responsible for carrying out global and national casework for Spain, including provision of advice on applicable rules and procedures, case preparation and submission, monitoring progress and following up on completion. When needed, she recommends improvements in work procedures, policies or systems. Carolina is recognized for remaining up-dated on Spanish and EU immigration law changes, as well as global immigration trends and geopolitical events.

Diana Monsalve is the Director of Newland Chase Colombia, leading the operation and client services in the country. She advises multinational organizations on immigration, compliance, and global mobility matters, helping businesses successfully manage the movement of talent across borders. Combining extensive legal and international mobility experience, Diana supports clients with strategic immigration planning, compliance frameworks, workforce mobility initiatives, and complex cross-border assignments. Her experience was developed in both Colombia and Canada.

Diana is fluent in English and Spanish. She holds a law degree from Colombia and is licensed to practice. She earned an LL.M. in International Business Law from York University in Toronto, Canada. She also holds a specialization degree in Employment Law from Colombia.

Diana also lectures on immigration law and global mobility matters at Universidad de Los Andes and is a co-founder of ACODEMI, Colombia’s first immigration law association. She is widely recognized for her practical, business-oriented approach and commitment to delivering exceptional client service.

As Senior Manager for Middle East Operations, Vivek Radhakrishnan heads Newland Chase’s Dubai-based business where he leads a team that is responsible for providing strategic immigration advisory services to multinational and national companies operating in the UAE.

Vivek has 13+ years’ experience in immigration industry, having started his career as an immigration consultant and quickly rising to client relations manager, and then to managing country head. He is a graduate of Presidency College (Bangalore University) with a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources Management and International Business.

As Senior Director of Immigration for the APAC region, Nethi Thayyil leads Newland Chase’s immigration practice in Singapore, APAC hub and India, focusing on the management of immigration advisory and service delivery to companies operating across the region. Nethi works closely with our operational and advisory teams to ensure that we deliver consistent, excellent service and compliance for our clients. Prior to joining the company, she served as country manager for another major global immigration provider in India. With more than 11 years’ experience in immigration, Nethi has high-level experience in strategic global immigration consulting and serves as a leader and expert resource for her team. Nethi is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and Catering technology, Bangalore.

As Immigration Manager, Netherlands, Csilla Gazafi heads up Newland Chase’s Dutch office. Her team of Dutch immigration experts is responsible for providing strategic immigration advisory services to multinational companies. This includes providing hands-on Dutch immigration services for corporate clients and advising HR and mobility departments on immigration compliance. With more than 20 years of experience in the immigration and mobility industry, she has held a number of immigration specialist and operations management roles. She has remained focused on country and regional-level immigration compliance throughout her career while working at various immigration service providers.

As Operations Director, Sarah Leyener leads Newland Chase’s dedicated immigration team in Germany. She drives operational excellence through process development and provides strategic guidance on evolving immigration trends to support clients in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape.

Sarah joined Newland Chase in June 2025, bringing nearly a decade of global mobility and immigration experience. Her career began in 2016 on the provider side as a Consultant, progressing to Head of Operations before transitioning to an in-house corporate role. This diverse background equips her with both strategic insight and hands-on leadership across the full immigration lifecycle.

She holds a BA in Linguistics and Culture Studies from Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany, and is a certified Global Mobility Specialist (GMS) through Worldwide ERC. Fluent in German, English, and Spanish, Sarah thrives in multicultural environments and is committed to supporting seamless cross-border talent movement for global organizations.

Maria del Carmen Guevara is the Managing Director for Newland Chase Mexico where she leads the firm’s corporate immigration and global mobility practice across the country. With more than 17 years of experience in corporate immigration, she advises multinational companies on complex immigration strategies, compliance matters, and the mobility of foreign nationals into Mexico and throughout the region. Throughout her career, she has worked with a broad range of multinational clients across diverse industries, supporting high-volume immigration programs and developing tailored solutions aligned with business objectives and regulatory requirements.

In addition to her extensive immigration practice, Maria del Carmen holds a Professional Certification in Anti-Corruption Compliance (CPA-A) issued by LEC (Legal, Ethics and Compliance). She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Strategic Human Capital Management, further strengthening her expertise in compliance, talent mobility, and organizational strategy. She is fluent in English and Spanish and is recognized for her practical, client-focused approach and deep understanding of the evolving Mexican immigration landscape.

As Director, Hannah specializes in corporate immigration and travel consulting, advising corporations on employee immigration and mobility while ensuring compliance. A solicitor registered with the Law Society of England and Wales, Hannah brings over 20 years of global corporate immigration experience. She has collaborated with clients on projects such as right-to-work checks, immigration compliance audits, and comprehensive reviews and analyses of immigration policies and processes. Hannah also conducts immigration feasibility studies, provides full guidance on entering new markets, advises on the impact of geopolitical events and workforce planning, and assesses clients’ eligibility to act as immigration sponsors.

Before joining Newland Chase, Hannah worked as an immigration solicitor in various capacities, from niche law firms to managing teams at a multinational Big Four accountancy firm.

As Associate at Newland Chase Consulting, located in Lyon, France, Clara provides strategic immigration advice across a wide range of industries and company sizes. Among her multiple focuses are helping clients navigate multi-jurisdictional projects, creating country-specific workforce compliance materials, and finding immigration solutions for the challenges of short-term travel management in Europe. She also contributes to legal monitoring and maintenance of Newland Chase’s global immigration knowledge library.

Clara has over 15 years of corporate immigration and customer-service experience at both an operational and advisory level, and has lived and worked in multiple countries throughout her career.

She graduated with a master’s degree in European and International Law from the University of Grenoble II and a bachelor’s degree in Business Law from the University of Lyon III.

As Senior Manager in Newland Chase Advisory, Carlijn Langeveld works with her Europe-based team to provide strategic immigration advice to companies of all sizes. Having started her career in global corporate immigration in 2007, Carlijn is a seasoned immigration expert with a customer-focused approach.

Among her current focuses are helping clients to become EU Posted Worker compliant, finding immigration solutions for short term work across Europe, and management of projects related to the immigration impact of global corporate changes. Having worked both as an immigration consultant and knowledge management specialist, her immigration expertise covers both the practical and theoretical.

Carlijn is a graduate of Utrecht University in the Netherlands with an MSc in Experimental Physics, and she uses the keen analytical skills and logical thinking developed during her studies on a daily basis when analyzing complicated immigration scenarios.

In her role as Senior Manager, Soo Gurtcheff-Smit leads the knowledge library team and provides multi-jurisdictional research consultations to a diverse portfolio of clients. Soo has 14 years of experience in global corporate immigration and has held a variety of positions throughout her tenure, including product manager, researcher and knowledge management lead, and case consultant. She is especially passionate about the intersection of technology and access to information, and how to constantly improve both elements to best partner with our clients.

Soo holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and English Literature from St. Olaf College.

As a Senior Manager at Newland Chase Advisory located in Sydney, Australia, Patricia offers extensive expertise in navigating intricate immigration challenges. She has 16 years of combined experience in Global Corporate Immigration and Global Mobility. Her career has been marked by successful collaborations with clients on pivotal projects, including right-to-work checks, immigration compliance, and strategically devised immigration solutions.

Prior to her current role, she held positions in immigration firms and served as an in-house mobility liaison for a number of multinational corporations.

Patricia earned a Business degree from De La Salle University, Manila, and later achieved a post-graduate diploma in Australian Migration Law from the University of Technology, Sydney.

Rob Lyon is a Senior Manager at Newland Chase specializing in compliance intelligence. Joining the firm in 2013 as a Junior Consultant, Rob has steadily advanced to his current role, where he applies his expertise to navigate complex compliance matters.

With a focus on UK compliance since 2018, Rob is a qualified Solicitor (non-practicing) and holds OISC Level 2 Accreditation, underscoring his comprehensive knowledge in immigration compliance. His dedication and extensive experience make him a key asset in supporting Newland Chase’s commitment to regulatory excellence.

Shelley is a UK Manager and accredited IAA adviser with more than a decade of corporate immigration experience, advising organizations on the full spectrum of UK immigration, right to work, and sponsorship matters. He has extensive expertise supporting clients in the legal, consulting, and education sectors, providing strategic guidance on visa pathways, sponsor compliance, right to work frameworks, and regulatory risk management. Shelley is trusted by clients for his ability to deliver practical, business-focused solutions that align immigration strategy with organizational goals, helping organization’s attract and retain talent while maintaining compliance with UKVI requirements and sponsorship obligations.